Earlier today, Alyssa wrote a really heartfelt thank you to APW sponsors, that was not even slightly prompted by me, and now at the end of the year, I want to take a moment to echo how true that is. Without APW sponsors, this site couldn’t exist, and I’m grateful to every single one of them. But Emily and Kristy are a slightly different breed. They each sponsor APW not just because it’s an advertising opportunity for their business, but because they fundamentally agree with what is going on here… so much that they are willing to put their money where their mouth is every single month. And that is pretty amazing. So amazing that, combined with their work-of-art photography, I want them to be collaborating with you guys on a billion weddings this summer. Because a collaboration where you’re really on the same page? That’s where you make the kind of art that you hang in your home, and hold in your heart, for a life time.

Moodeous Photography offers 10% off to all APW couples (because she loves you), soul-sister-ness (because she is one of you), and travel at cost. AT COST, people. That means the cost of the plane or the gas, and a place to rest her head. Oh, and in Philadelphia and the Bucks County area of Pennsylvania, there is only the cost of the flight. So Denver ladies, you are already on it. But ladies of the Southwest, Southern California, the Midwest, and Philly? May I suggest Kristy, your new best friend and talented wedding photographer? You can send me a thank you note later. (Seriously. Y’all in the middle of the country that are always complaining that you can’t get APW photographers? Today is your day!)

Kristy’s work is a lovely mix of indie wedding artsy hip (which I admit, I love), really raw emotional moments, and more formal work that your mamma will love. Which, may I suggest, might just be the perfect mix.

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Next up, the fabulous Emily Sterne Photography in Boston.

What to say about Emily? Well. First of all. Cambridge, Boston? This is your lady through and through. Remember when she took the “wedding book” shot at APW-ers house, and all the wedding books were actually marriage books? That sort of sums Emily up, because when she took that shot, she emailed me and was like, “I LOVE YOU GUYS.” And then, of course there was her amazing, pouring rain wedding graduate post. Mmmm. Oh, and she’s offering APW-ers free travel in all of New England. So ladies, get on that!

But what I really want to talk about with Emily, is how I’ve seen her work grow and change, and catch fire. The woman can do anything – she can shoot traditional wedding shots, she can shoot trendy wedding shots, she can shoot beautiful wedding shots. But these days, what I’m seeing from her? Pure art. Can we talk about that shot above? How it captures the movement and the joy, but how it also captures the heart of it all? The community of a wedding?

But most importantly, I wanted to share a snippet of Emily’s couple-empowering philosophy. She told me this (which needless to say, I love), “When I meet with clients, I try to communicate how important I think it is that they OWN their wedding day and that I as the photographer am there to document, yes, to make the prettiest pictures I can, but NOT at the expense of the couple’s participation in the day they have created to spend with friends and family (and each other).” Which? EXACTLY.

And with that, ladies? Can we raise our glass to the phenomenal APW sponsors? To Emily and Kristy? To two women with amazing talent, and grit, and heart. Oh, and to killer photographs. Now go book them already, and enjoy.

Holy crap, they are talented.
APWers, book them and then do graduate posts so we can all seeeeeee!!!

Ruth

If only I had met Kristy sooner… I would have definitely hired her to document my Colorado mountain wedding. I met her at the most recent Denver book club meet up and she is not only an awesome photographer but also an amazing person!

http://www.moodeous.com moodeous

Ruth you are too sweet, thanks for the props! :) I’m just glad to have met you gals. When is that martini sleep over anyway?!

Ruth

We’ll have to work on a date for that, won’t we? Don’t think I’ve forgotten!

http://metamorprose.wordpress.com/ Stephanova

I agree with Ruth! I also had the pleasure of meeting Kristy at the Denver meet-up. She’s down to earth, smart, and obviously REALLY talented. I would have loved to have her take pictures at my Denver wedding if only I’d found her earlier!

http://whyareweallsostupid.com sarahdipity

I’ve been meaning to write Meg to tell her how awesome Emily is. Once I saw this post I thought I might as well just gush in public. Emily photographed our wedding in October and she was amazing! Our wedding had all sorts of photographic challenges, it was pretty dark and the outside pictures were cold. She caught some great moments and was never in our faces telling us what to do or where to look. It was great. She also really came through at unexpected moments like when a bird pooped in my hair during photos before the ceremony by having a kleenex on her and got a picture of me laughing about it too. I definitely recommend Emily.